Amalgamator.



Patented Feb. 25, |902.

No. 694,20I.

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(Application med Apr. 18, 1900.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN RUFUS SAWYER, OF ARROYOSECO, TERRITORY OF NEW MEXICO.

AMALGAIVIATOR,

VSPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 694,201, dated February 25, 1902.

Application filed April 18, 1900l Serial No. 13,327. (No model.)

ATo all whom, it ntcty concern.-

Beit known that I, JOHN RUFUs SAWYER, a citizen ofthe United States, and a resident of Arroyoseco, in the county of Taos and Ter-V ritory of New Mexico, have invented a new and Improved Amalgamator, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved amalgamator. which is simple and durable in construction, very effective in operation, andarranged to permit a ready and quick amalgamation of the precious metal by the mercury without loss of the latter and to allow a continuous operation and discharge of the tailings.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improvement with parts broken out, and Fig. 2 is an end view of the same with parts broken out.

The improved amalgamator consists, essentially, of a plurality of conical drums A AA2, mounted to turn in suitable bearings B, carried bya framework C of any approved construction. The several drums are connected with each other by sprocket-wheels D and a sprocket-chainD', and one of the drums, preferably the drum A', is provided with a pulley E, connected by belt with other machinery, so as to rotate said drum A', and by the sprocket-wheels D and the sprocket-chain D' impart a rotary motion to the other drums A A2, so that all the drums A A' A2 rotate in unison one above the other, as will be readily understood by reference to the drawings. The axes of the several drums A A' A2 are arranged horizontally, so that the bottom portions of the several drums are inclined downward from the apex end toward the base end. Each of the drums A A' A2 is provided at its under side with cups F, adapted to contain mercury for amalgamating the precious metal contained in the material to be treated and traveling through said drums, as hereinafter more fully described.

Into thebase end of the uppermost drum A discharges a feed-pipe G,'through which the material to be treated is passed into the base end of the uppermost drum. The apex end of this drum is connected by a pipe H with the base end of the next-following drum A', and the apex end of the drum A' is con nected by a similar pipe H' with the base end of the-lowermost drum A2, and said drum A2' ward in the drum A and will be treated bythe mercury contained in the cups F and dropping out of the same as the cups reach an Yuppermost position during the revolving of the drum. Thus as a cup is emptied of its mercury said mercury is splashed over the material in the drum, and owing to its nature it readily takes up the precious metal and flows through the material back into the cups in the bottom of the drum at the time, to be again taken up during the rotation of the drum and again discharged upon the mateL rial for the purpose above described. As additional material is fed into the drum A said material works forward in the drum to such an extentthat it finally discharges through the pipe H and is passed by the same into the base end of the next following drum A', in which the material is again subjected to the action of the mercury in the same manner as above described in reference to the drum A. The material works toward the apex end of the drum A' and is finally discharged from said drum by the pipe H', which delivers the material into the base end of the last drum A2.

Again the material is treated in the manner IOO By arranging the drums A A A2 in the manner above described it is evident that the quicksilver or mercury remains in the drums and is not liable to Work through the material toward the apex ends of the drums, owing to the specific gravity and fluid form of the mercury. l

Each of the drums A A' A2 is preferably provided at the base end with a suitable valved discharge-pipe I for withdrawing the amalgam from the drums whenever the operation is finished and a certain amount of material has been treated.

From the foregoing it is evident that no attention is required from the operator during the amalgamating process, and, furthermore, no mercury is lost or is liable to be stolen, as the mercury remains in the drums, the outlet-pipes I of which can be suitably locked if deemed necessary.

Having thus fully described my invention, l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. An amalgamator, comprising a frame, a plurality of conical revoluble drums mounted one above the other in the frame with their ends projecting beyond the same, the axes of the drums being in horizontal planes and the said drums being arranged with the base end of one opposite the apex of the drum below, means for revolving the drums in unison, cups on the inside of the drums and adapted to contain .mercury and arranged to discharge the mercury upon the material as the drums revolve, means for feeding the material into the projecting base end of the uppermost drum, and stationary pipes connecting the ends of the drums outside of the frame, each pipe leading from the apex of one drum to the base of the drum next below, as set forth.

2. An amalgamator, consisting of a frame,

Ythree conical drums mounted in the frame to 'drums outside of the frame, each pipe leading from the apex of one drum to the base of the drum next below, cups on the inside of each lo'f the drums, a sprocket-wheelon each drum,

a chain passing around the sprocket-wheels, and a pulley on the intermediate drum and by means of which it may be driven, substantally as herein shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN RUFUS SAWYER.

Witnesses:

l WM. L.v MCCLURE,

L. S. ORTON. 

